STAT+: A new biotech startup tries to tackle obesity, but not in the way you might expect

STAT PlusBiotech A new biotech startup tries to tackle obesity, but not in the way you might expect Mwyngil Therapeutics is the rare drugmaker in the field forgoing GLP-1s Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Allison DeAngelisJuly 15, 2026 Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison DeAngelis[email protected]Allison covers what hot startups are getting up to, and who’s financing them. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, “The Readout Loud.” You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. A new startup is making a bold move in the world of obesity drug development: It’s not working with the GLP-1 target that has taken the world by storm. Just a few years ago, the term “GLP-1” would have been a foreign concept to most Americans. Now, it’s everywhere — on billboards, TV advertisements, and magazine articles. Most startups hoping to edge their way into the multibillion-dollar weight loss market have their own GLP-1 drug candidate. But not Mwyngil Therapeutics. Advertisement Mwyngil — pronounced “mwin-gull” — is studying ways to spur weight loss without targeting the GLP-1 receptor. That’s what attracted CEO Luba Greenwood, a biotech veteran, to the company. “I was not interested in another ‘me too’ GLP-1, or GLP-1 plus something. … That’s not very interesting science,” she told STAT, in her first interview about the company. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In biotechnology, drug development, Obesity, Pharmaceuticals, STAT+, weight loss Submit a correction requestReprints Allison DeAngelis Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison covers what hot startups are getting up to, and who’s financing them. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, “The Readout Loud.” You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. STAT+ Newsletter Senior writer Adam Feuerstein's unfiltered, uncompromising analysis on the biotech world Recommended Biotech July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Anthropic’s Claude Science is coming for Kendall Square The Readout July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Akero team, backed by Fairmount, launches new immunology company Advertisement Biotech July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Biogen Alzheimer’s drug slowed decline at rates on par with approved therapies, study shows Biotech July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Drug metabolism AI competition results show that bigger may not always be better Health July 13, 2026 STAT Plus: Dementia study replicates promising outcomes following risk-reduction strategies Subscriber Picks